Preparing for winter II

Thriftkitten

mardatha wrote: »

Somebody sent me this !

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/photos-in-need-of-a-caption/1217-photo-in-need-of-a-captio.html

The poor child needs some knitted sox Mardatha, let the MSE loose on that appartment, if I lived in that dull dreary appartment I would probably be raring to wear some pink, even if it was a full body cocoon,

Hippeechiq

Nuala Thanks for asking about my daughter. We've changed her medication (yet again). Which has resulted in insomnia and horrendous agitation, so it's be a hard few weeks for her and us. We altered the amount of the new meds she started taking a month ago Friday, and she had her first decent nights sleep in over a month, and her agitation seemed much better. Last night wasn't so good, but it may take a few days for her body to adjust. That's what I'm hoping anyway

Thriftkitten wrote: »

A 3rd of block of lard
lots of porridge oats
some mixed dried fruit, or sultanas
mixed nuts
and just squished all together and formed into a ball, I threaded a big needle with some string and fed through the middle, tied it and have hung 3 of them from the railing outside kitchen window, so we can see 'Norman' enjoying his festive treat....C'mon Norman my boy, c'mon and enjoy the fruits of our labour xxx

Thanks for that "recipe" Thriftkitten - might give that a bash myself. I agree with Mardatha in that Norman sounds like a Pied Wagtail - although not sure about the silver. The ones I've seen tend to be just black and white.

mardatha wrote: »

Somebody sent me this !

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/photos-in-need-of-a-caption/1217-photo-in-need-of-a-captio.html

:rotfl: Class!!!

Thanks also for the info and link on First Footing - I love hearing and learning about old traditions.

Primrose

Hippeechiq wrote: »

Talking of birds - I'm sure I saw somewhere that they will eat bog standard rolled oats. Does anyone know if that's correct? Also, I have had an out of date packet of savoury rice in my cupboard for months. If I cooked that up, would they eat that do you think?

We buy rolled oats to feed our birds, mixed in with melted lard and this cold weather they just can't get enough of them as the fat content helps to keep up their energy.

My first thought was that I'd be a little wary of using the savoury rice because it's probably got salt mixed in with it which could do the birds harm if eaten in any quantity. However, as I imagine much of the salt will be boiled out while it's being cooked, it will probably be OK. In these sub zero temperatures the birds in our garden seem to be eating just about everything that's thrown out for them, including chopped wrinkled apples, brown bananas and bits of mashed potato.

Kitchenbunny

Thanks for the tips concerning what to feed the birds. I've been looking for some way to help them out too.

KB

Thriftkitten

It's official..... Norman is indeed a pied wagtail.... or so the book says according to my mum, maybe I was seeing silver as all that black and white mix with Nor being so small frazzled my eyes, it appears that Norman has a missus too, which we have named Doreen,
So would like this opportunity to welcome 'Norman and Doreen' to the neighbourhood, may they have many happy times swinging on the lard balls in St Ives xx

NualaBuala

Hippeechiq wrote: »

Nuala Thanks for asking about my daughter. We've changed her medication (yet again). Which has resulted in insomnia and horrendous agitation, so it's be a hard few weeks for her and us. We altered the amount of the new meds she started taking a month ago Friday, and she had her first decent nights sleep in over a month, and her agitation seemed much better. Last night wasn't so good, but it may take a few days for her body to adjust. That's what I'm hoping anyway

Sounds tough Hippeechiq, here's hoping the new meds regime settles down and helps.x

Kittie ... urgh, I remember drunk adults smelling of booze kissing us as children ... I really hated it!

[Deleted User]

in two days I will be filling the house with candle light

about yule and hogmanay
http://www.wiccaweb.org.uk/yule.html

mardatha

I love hogmanay, still find it exciting even at my age :j:j:j
not mad on xmas though.

Thriftkitten

Oh please santa could you find it in your heart to give me a home as pretty as this... I promise to come and sit on your knee EVERY year!
I found this photo in the snowy pics section on yahoo, it's gorgeous.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevejm2009/5273068151/

mardatha

Oh no, I dont like that at all ! Bet its dark and damp inside !! I like big windows and plenty light or I get miserable. And I like on top of hills You can have that one TK... just get me something else !